Category: Allotment

Although my vegetable garden is still very wet, there are several jobs that need doing now if I am to stay ahead when the weather improves and the soil gets warm enough to plant. I have already purchased my seed potatoes from Notcutts and am saving egg boxes so that the seed can be stood in them to ‘chit’. ‘Chitting’ is said to produce an…Read More

I am not a great winter vegetable gardener – the idea of being self sufficient is fine in the summer months but the grim reality of harvesting sprouts on a cold morning or digging parsnips from sodden soil means that I have the greatest respect for growers who put food on our tables through the worst of the weather. Yes, I will go and dig…Read More

I have to say that we have been very pleased with the allotment this year – we have hardly bought any vegetables for months and the store cupboard is full of runner bean pickle and courgette chutney after bumper crops. The house has smelt of vinegar for weeks and Mrs McGregor has still to make red onion marmalade, from the onions stored in the garage….Read More

Peas almost ready to pick!The allotment is producing a good range of crops including potatoes, peas, broad beans, carrots, courgettes, mange tout (great in a stir fry!) herbs, lettuce, spring onions, radish and my favourite – beetroot! Even after years of growing my own, I still get great satisfaction when all the vegetables on a plate are home produced. The other evening we made a…Read More

My allotment ground is still far too wet to dig, but as I said in my new year’s resolutions, I will not panic about it! I do miss walking down with my spade and digging for a few hours on a sunny day. I find the process very therapeutic; being able to dig and having time to think through any problems, set aims and generally…Read More